Central heating question. ..oil or bulk lpg?

[jackpoint]

We've just had a natter with our local boiler guru about a new heating system and we fully expected to be putting an oil boiler in. However he has suggested we think about an lpg boiler and bulk tank as an alternative solution.
We are both used to oil, but after a bit of googlin' we're not really any wiser about lpg so would anyone care to offer an opinion, pretty please

 

[robgil]

First off , check current fuel prices and just as important try to look at some figures of average consumption for both.


Gas is cleaner, Calor will rent you out a tank (it costs very little) but you have to site it (it can go underground) , build a base for it and have a trench dug to the house to accomodate the gas pipe.
Oil , you have to buy a tank , there are a lot more restrictions on siting it but dont be led to think the tank has to be bunded unless putting it , say next to a drain for example, you still need a base to put it on and depending on location you still might need a trench through the garden.

Both are just easy to fill as eachother, gas boilers are a lot cheaper but check installation costs. Also check fuel price trends.
When I was faced with this decision I went for gas.

 

[Owain]

if you rent a tank from Calor it may tie you into that supplier, which is an issue especially with an underground one - to change supplier you'd have to dig it up.

Oil can be significantly cheaper in summer so a bigger tank may help you buy when prices are cheaper. Oil can be stolen, however.

 

[robgil]

From what I can gather when you switch suppliers you also switch ownership of the tank to the new supplier, but I would call first to confirm this.

 

[steveb]

The other option would be to consider "biomass" like wood or pellets - normally wouldn't think about them but economics have been distorted by subsidies and it may be a cheaper and greener option. modern wood or pellet boilers run unattended much as any other boiler, except you need to load a hopper with fuel once in a while.

search for the "domestic rhi" which may have details of what is available.

It's not risk free though, "new" technology never is, which is what I guess the subsidy is aimed at promoting. The theory was that you get paid for every unit of heat consumed, so get a payback on the install and running costs over a number (7?) years.

-Steve

 

[88v8]

With LPG, you also have the option of a gas cooker.
And I think it likely that a gas boiler will be more reliable.
And as Oswain nearly said, no one will steal your LPG.

Ivor